I finally have completed my Drum build. Here are some pics along the way. The first couple of pics are actually from a couple months ago when I started this project (yeah it took that long).
I flipped the drum over and made the removable/locking ring lid the bottom and cut out the "permanent" lid with a reciprocating saw.
Testing the fit of the kettle lid on the top (used to be the bottom)
Burned out the drum,
Made a charcoal basket out of a couple pieces of 12x24 expanded metal wrapped around a 14 inch replacement charcoal grate. Secured it with stainless steel hardware. Positioned the lower grate about 4 inches up to allow room for ash to fall out.
Towards the end of the burnout I cooked up a snack Hobo-style.
I have three intakes, each is two 3/4 inch holes cover by a flat piece of steel that rotates. I borrowed this design from a build by Jerrykr
Stainless steel hard ware for grate support. 3 bolts each for two cooking grates. The lower grate is approx 6 inches from the top.
Loaded the charcoal basket with 18 lbs of charcoal and a few wood chunks.
After grinding the inside down to bare metal. I coated the inside with vegetable oil and also sprayed with cooking spray.
Seasoning the drum.
I put about 12-15 lit briquettes in and opened all 3 intakes fully. Temp got to over 500 degress. I was going by the thermo I installed because my digi probe stopped updating after 410.
About 6 hours later and after playing with the intakes the temps are a little under 300. So I threw on a fattie (in accordance with drum law)
Fattie is done. It is just a plain old school breakfast fattie. No stuffing (biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast the next day)
A couple days later I got at it again. Here is a shot of the seasoned inside. A nice bronze/black coating on the inside.
Since the locking ring & removable lid are on the bottom, cleanup is easy. Just release the ring like this
And lift the body of the smoker off of the bottom lid which is sitting on caster wheels.
The lid that I removed I turned into an ash pan. I cut slits about 2 inches deep avery few inches around and folded up the flaps. It is a couple inches less in diameter than the drum and is perfect for catching/dumping out the ash.
A couple coats from some cheapo flat black spray paint.
Intalled some utensil hooks. I drilled small holes and bent the hooks in rather that resting the hooks on the top lip because they would have affected how tightly the lid would seal
Mounted a Wu-Tang emblem that my wifes little brother made for me in shop class. (it is a Wu-DS now!)
And the final product
For now it will share a lid with my kettle grill until I can find a cheap one on Craigslist or something.
Thanks for checking out my UDS build!
I flipped the drum over and made the removable/locking ring lid the bottom and cut out the "permanent" lid with a reciprocating saw.
Testing the fit of the kettle lid on the top (used to be the bottom)
Burned out the drum,
Made a charcoal basket out of a couple pieces of 12x24 expanded metal wrapped around a 14 inch replacement charcoal grate. Secured it with stainless steel hardware. Positioned the lower grate about 4 inches up to allow room for ash to fall out.
Towards the end of the burnout I cooked up a snack Hobo-style.
I have three intakes, each is two 3/4 inch holes cover by a flat piece of steel that rotates. I borrowed this design from a build by Jerrykr
Stainless steel hard ware for grate support. 3 bolts each for two cooking grates. The lower grate is approx 6 inches from the top.
Loaded the charcoal basket with 18 lbs of charcoal and a few wood chunks.
After grinding the inside down to bare metal. I coated the inside with vegetable oil and also sprayed with cooking spray.
Seasoning the drum.
I put about 12-15 lit briquettes in and opened all 3 intakes fully. Temp got to over 500 degress. I was going by the thermo I installed because my digi probe stopped updating after 410.
About 6 hours later and after playing with the intakes the temps are a little under 300. So I threw on a fattie (in accordance with drum law)
Fattie is done. It is just a plain old school breakfast fattie. No stuffing (biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast the next day)
A couple days later I got at it again. Here is a shot of the seasoned inside. A nice bronze/black coating on the inside.
Since the locking ring & removable lid are on the bottom, cleanup is easy. Just release the ring like this
And lift the body of the smoker off of the bottom lid which is sitting on caster wheels.
The lid that I removed I turned into an ash pan. I cut slits about 2 inches deep avery few inches around and folded up the flaps. It is a couple inches less in diameter than the drum and is perfect for catching/dumping out the ash.
A couple coats from some cheapo flat black spray paint.
Intalled some utensil hooks. I drilled small holes and bent the hooks in rather that resting the hooks on the top lip because they would have affected how tightly the lid would seal
Mounted a Wu-Tang emblem that my wifes little brother made for me in shop class. (it is a Wu-DS now!)
And the final product
For now it will share a lid with my kettle grill until I can find a cheap one on Craigslist or something.
Thanks for checking out my UDS build!
